In general, a vehicle compressor for an air conditioner is operated by means of a driving force of an engine, and an electromagnetic clutch is mounted together to intermittently operate only in a case where air conditioning is required.
FIG. 1 illustrates a general coupling structure of a vehicle compressor and an electromagnetic clutch. An operation principle of the compressor (2) will be briefly described below with reference to FIG. 1.
First, in a case where an engine is operating, a pulley (6) connected from a driving shaft of the engine (not shown) through a belt (not shown) rotates. Further, the pulley (6) is connected to a rotating shaft of the compressor via the electromagnetic clutch. In general, a rotor (8) is coupled with the pulley (6), and an electromagnetic clutch field coil assembly (1) having a coil (1-1) and a coil housing (1-2) is disposed with the rotor (8) at a minute interval. Furthermore, the rotor (8) is connected to the rotating shaft of the compressor (2) with a bearing (7) interposed therebetween.
If a driver turns on a switch for an air conditioner in this state, a disk (2-1) fixedly coupled with the rotating shaft of the compressor (2) and a disk (6-1) fixedly coupled with the pulley (6) are contacted with each other to rotate together by means of a frictional force while electric power is being applied to the electromagnetic clutch field coil assembly (1), so that the compressor (2) is operated.
On the contrary, unless electric power is applied to the electromagnetic clutch field coil assembly (1) through electric power connection lines (3, 4), since the disk (6-1) of the pulley (6) and the disk (2-1) of the compressor (2) are separated from each other, a dynamic force is cut off and the compressor (2) does not operate.
Electric power may be applied to the electromagnetic clutch field coil assembly (1) by manually controlling the switch of the air conditioner, and the application of the electric power to the electromagnetic clutch field coil assembly (1) may be automatically controlled depending on a room temperature of a vehicle by connecting it to an engine control system (ECU) that is not shown.
As a conventional prior art, in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. Hei 07-127662 (published on May 16, 1996) is disclosed a surge absorption device for absorbing a surge voltage generated when an application of an electric current to a magnetic coil is temporally suspended by positioning a diode connected to an internal terminal of a connector. Further, PCT WO 2004/067982 (published on Aug. 12, 2004) is a prior art applied by the present applicant and discloses a configuration in which a diode and a resistor are employed to absorb a surge, and a sleeve structure for connecting a space between a field coil assembly and an additional external electric power is additionally provided so that it is manually fastened directly to a connector formed in the field coil assembly.
That is, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a connection part (10) of the conventional electromagnetic clutch field coil assembly (1) comprises a sleeve assembly (11) formed in the field coil assembly (1) and a housing assembly (12) connected to the sleeve assembly (11) through electric wires (3).
Further, as shown in FIGS. 3, 4a and 4b, the conventional sleeve assembly (11) is manufactured by injection molding in a state where terminal (13) and the electric wires (3) are put in a mold. Accordingly, a diode (14) and a resistor (15) that are essential components are installed by finishing with epoxy (19) in a state where after the foregoing injection molding has been completed.
Thus, a manufacturing process may be added due to the addition of the expoxy treatment process, and a rise in costs and a lowering of productivity are caused due to labor cost.
Further, since the sleeve assembly (11) is injection molded together with the terminal (13), the sleeve assembly (11) is positioned to be very close to the electromagnetic clutch field coil assembly (1) and the compressor (2). Accordingly, heat generated from the field coil assembly (1) and the compressor (2) is transmitted directly to the sleeve assembly (11) so that it has a bad influence that performance of the diode (14) and the resistor (15) attached to the sleeve assembly (11) is deteriorated, and the like.
Meanwhile, the housing assembly (12) is a component connected to the sleeve assembly (11) through the electric wires (3) and functions as a connector of an electric power. Further, the housing assembly (12) generally has a configuration in which an additional housing (12-1), a clip (12-2) and a bracket (12-3) are assembled together. The bracket (12-3) is a component for preventing sway and deviation of the housing (12-1), and generally mounted on a surface of a case of the compressor (2) by means of a bolt (16) or the like.
However, since, the housing assembly (12) generally has a configuration in which an additional housing (12-1), a clip (12-2) and a bracket (12-3) are assembled together, a manufacturing process is complicated, they may be deviated from one another in use, and it causes a failure that a wire or the like is adhered to the compressor (2) with a high temperature in deviation.